Stress gauge

By,
V.Shanmukha priya
20082333

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 Stress gauge

A thin film stress gauge is a thin arrangement that can

be sandwiched at the interface formed by two layers of
the same or different materials and used to infer the
time resolved normal stress component of a
longitudinal stress wave propagating through the
interface.

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 Principal of stress gauge
When a pressure is applied normal to the gauge, a state
of stress is created around its sensing element, causing
its thickness and thus its electrical resistance to change
(piezoresistive effect) or an electric field to be
produced across its element (piezoelectric effect).

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 Types of stress gauges
There are two types of thin film stress sensors:
Piezoresistive gauges
Piezoelectric gauges

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 Piezoresistive stress gauge
The piezoresistive gauge often requires an external
pulse excitation source or bridge arrangement to
increase its output without recoursing to signal
amplification.
The output, which in principle is nearly independent of
its size and resistance, is usually expressed in terms of
its relative or fractional change of electrical resistance
versus stress.

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 Construction
Piezoresistive gauges are usually constructed into two
nominal resistances. They are the 50-ohm and the low-
impedance(0.050 ohm) gauges.
They bear two constructions which are the grid type
and the strip type.
The most commonly used piezoresistive gauges are the
Magnanin(Cu 84%,Mn 12%,Ni 4%) and the carbon
gauges.

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 Piezoelectric stress gauge
The piezoelectric gauges generally do not require any
external pulse excitation source or bridge.
The output of a piezoelectric gauge is expressed by the
amount of charge per unit area released by the action
of the normal stress.
The most utilized piezoelectric gauge is the PVF
2(PVDF, Polyvenylidene Fluoride: CH2-CF2) gauge.

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 Stress gauge application range selection
chart

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 Assumptions
The main assumptions used for the above stress
gauges are as follows:
Stress and strain effects on a given sensor is linearly
addictive.
Strain effects perceived by part or all of one element is
identically perceived by the other.
Strain along the grid lines of the sensor only affect the
output of the sensor.

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 Mn/Cn2-50-EK, In-Plane stress gauge
The model Mn/Cn2-50-EK stress gauge is a dual-
sensor in-plane arrangement consisting in one each
Magnanin and Constantan elements that are cemented
between two layers of 0.0001 inch thick Kapton.
Range of application is 0-100 Kbars(0-10 GPA).
Calibration curves are available for the strain factor
values of Magnanin and Constantan versus strain.

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 In- plane stress gauge

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 PVF 2 10/Cn2-50-EK Superimposed stress
gauge
The model PVF 2 10/Cn2- 50- EK gauge is a
superimposed piezoelectric / extensoresistive
arrangement combining one biaxially-stretched PVF2
stress gauge to a bi-directional Constantan strain
gauge.

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 Superimposed stress gauge

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 Hydrostatic stress gauges
A hydrostatic stress gauge including a sphere of
incompressible fluid having positioned inside a drum
like structure containing a pair of interconnected flat
spiral coils forming a self- resonant tuned circuit, a
change in pressure on the sphere will cause a variation
in distance between the coils whereby changing the
resonant frequency, when measured by an appropriate
device stress may be measured.

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 Construction
A hydrostatic stress gauge comprises of: a sphere of
deformable cover means located at each end of
cylinder for forming an enclosure; support means
attached to each of cover means extending into the
enclosure; flat conductive means mounted on each
support means, and an incompressible fluid filling the
volume between the sphere and enclosure whereby the
distance between coils varies upon deformation of the
sphere.

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 Construction
The above said cover means is quartz.
The coils are spiral wound, serially connected and
parallel mounted.
The hydrostatic stress gauge also includes system for
generating a resonant frequency connected to the
conductive coils, means for detecting a change in
frequency, and means for recording a change in
frequency connected through the detecting means to
the generating system.

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 Hydrostatic stress gauge
The hydrostatic stress gauge also consists of a pressure
sensor system which can be monitored remotely,
submerged within a container of initially pressurized
fluid. The container is embedded within the propellant
grain. Changes in the fluid pressure reflect the
hydrostatic stresses acting between the container and
the propellant. If volumetric properties of the container
match those of the surrounding propellant, the
indicated stress will remain unchanged by the gauge
propellant interaction.

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 Applications of the stress gauge
Hydrostatic stress gauges have the following
applications:
For measuring stress in solid propellant rocket engines.
To operate without external connections.
It utilizes a resonant frequency to remotely measure
stress.
It is economical and utilizes conventional, currently
available components that lend themselves to standard
mass production manufacturing techniques.

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 Equations for stress
The equation for principal stress is given by:
σ p = ((σ xx + σ yy)/2) ± √(((σ xx – σ yy)/2)² + τ xy²)
The equation for normal stress is given by:
σ n = σ xx cos²ѳ + σ yy sin² ѳ + τ xy sin 2ѳ

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 Piezoresistive stress gauge
This is a stress gauge whose components include a
piezoresistive sensor embedded in epoxy, a flat jack.
The preferred piezoresistive sensor is ytterbium
because of its sensitivity to pressures in the range of
interest. This arrangement allows the gauge sensing
element to be calibrated at the place of measurement.
Upon removal of the applied load, the gauge can
continue to measure the stress history of the
surrounding medium.

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 Stress gauge

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 Stress gauge

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 Description of the diagram
FIG 1A is a view in cross section of the gauge with top
housing and top insulation removed.
FIG 1B is a view in cross section through the centre
line of the gauge.

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 Working of the stress gauge
The stress history of the gauge is measured as follows:
 The stress component perpendicular to the metal strap
(1),(2), is transmitted to the sensitive layer(3) causing
a change in resistance. The change in electrical
resistance is measured via the electrical leads(4). The
stress is determined via a gauge calibration curve.

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 Working of the stress gauge
When a calibration of the sensitive layer is desired, the
flat jack(5) is pressurized via the one hydraulic line(6)
and the pressure is measured in the other line. When
the inlet and outlet pressures are allowed to equilibrate,
the flat jack pressure is known precisely. The
resistance value of the sensing element (3) is
measured. The flat jack pressure is increased a small
amount and the resistance of the sensing element(3) is
measured again.

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 Working of the stress gauge
The pressurization of the flat jack(5) dilates the thin
space within the flat jack and applies a uniform
hydraulic pressure to the sensing element(3). Since
there is no mechanically significant difference between
the load of the metal strap(1) on the sensing element
and on the flat jack(5) on the element, the gauge can
be calibrated by the correction of the resistance change
to the pressure applied.

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 Hydrostatic stress gauge

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 Benefit of the gauge design
The benefit of the gauge design, independent of stress
measurement, is derived as follows:
 Given an existing stress on the gauge of magnitude A
and a resistance value of R, one can use a calibration
curve to determine the value of A from R when R is
different from the original resistance R₀. However,
R=R-R₀ may not be entirely due to the stress A. It may
be partly due to a temperature change ∆T. Or, ∆R=RT+
RS where ∆RT is the temperature effect and ∆RS is the
stress effect.

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 Advantages
The gauge simplicity is a major advantage.
An advantage of this design is that it can function under
extreme temperatures and temperature variations.
There are no moving parts to deform due to heat or cold,
and the thermal effects on the sensing element are treated
by the recalibration process.
The hazard of erroneous data is reduced.
The durability, accuracy and simple geometry of this
gauge will allow for its use for in situ stress
measurements in an extremely wide range of
circumstances.

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 Thank you!

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